Centros reshapes £100m Lancaster scheme
DEVELOPER Centros has said that it expects to submit a revised masterplan for its £100m regeneration scheme for Lancaster city centre by the end of the year.
The London-based company, which first announced plans for a mixed-use scheme in the canal corridor area of the city six years ago, gained approval from Lancaster City Council to extend its current development agreement earlier this month.
Its initial proposal for a £150m scheme was rejected following a public inquiry in 2009.
The firm has been working on revised plans alongside the city council and English Heritage, though, and says its new scheme will include a new department store, a variety store and 30 other new shops. A new restaurant quarter will also be created along the Lancaster Canal bank, a new public park and more than 800 new car parking spaces – some of which will be created below new shopping areas.
Centros director David Lewis said: “In our view, Lancaster is the uncut jewel of the north. It has an attractive, historic environment, great cultural heritage and a strategic location, but has underserved its catchment population for some time.
“There is huge potential to create a high-quality, sustainable development that makes the most of the site’s attributes including a canalside location and the existing cultural amenities provided by the two theatres and a unique musicians’ co-op.”
He added that it had been working on changing unpopular parts of its previous scheme since the public inquiry rejection and had removed a proposed pedestrian bridge, cut back the amount of commercial space by 20% and incorporated more existing buildings into its plan – including a brewery site.
Lewis said: “These revised proposals build on many of the positive components of the last scheme that were endorsed by the Secretary of State – while creatively integrating more of the existing buildings, including the now listed brewery, to bring them back into vibrant use.
“Once legal formalities are concluded, we will be in a position to prepare a new planning application.”
If its new application is approved, Centros said it could be completed by late 2016 or early 2017.
